Travel

Friday 15 February 2019 by Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer

Airbus to cease A380 production in 2021

Airbus’ superjumbo A380 will stop being made in 2021 amid a sales slump brought on by airlines opting for smaller, more fuel-efficient aircrafts. The A380 is the world’s largest passenger jet with a capacity of over 500 seats. After a decade of manufacturing it, Airbus announced in a statement that key client Emirates is cutting back its orders for the plane, and as a result “we have no substantial A380 backlog and hence no basis ... ► Read more

Wednesday 16 January 2019 by Mozart Olbrycht-Palmer

Australian Government providing assistance to woman detained in Bangkok

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is providing consular assistance to an Australian woman who has been detained by Thai authorities in Bangkok for over a week, a department spokesperson has confirmed. Claire Johnson, 46, was expected to arrive in Sydney last week after travelling the world for a year, but was detained when trying to exit Thailand. In a series of Facebook messages Ms Johnson asked her friend Juliet Potter to contact ... ► Read more

Wednesday 9 January 2019 by OPMagazine & News Agencies

Drone sighting disrupts flights at London’s Heathrow

Departures at Heathrow were temporarily stopped on Tuesday (local time) after a drone sighting was reported. Flights from the west London airport resumed about an hour after police said a drone had been seen. A Heathrow spokeswoman said it was a “precautionary measure” to “prevent any threat to operational safety”. It comes after last month’s disruption at Gatwick Airport which saw thousands of people stranded when drones were sighted. The spokeswoman said Heathrow was working ... ► Read more

Friday 21 December 2018 by Mozart Olbrycht-Palmer

Gatwick Airport shut down after drone reports

Sussex Police are considering shooting down a drone that has caused Gatwick Airport to close for more than 24 hours. The police have received about 50 reports of the device being flown near the international airport since Wednesday evening. Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Tingley said that although shooting down the drone was earlier dismissed, it is a “tactical option” that is being “continually reviewed”. It has been confirmed that the airport will remain closed on ... ► Read more

Tuesday 30 October 2018 by OPMagazine & News Agencies

UK immigration to fast-track Australians from 2019

Australians will be able to be fast-tracked through immigration upon arriving in the UK from next year, the British Government has announced. Chancellor to the Exchequer Philip Hammond made the surprise announcement when delivering the UK’s budget at the House of Commons, saying those with electronically-enabled passports will be able to pass through e-gates at airports. “We’ll open the use of ePassport gates at Heathrow and other airports, currently only available to EEA nationals, to ... ► Read more

Thursday 27 September 2018 by Mozart Olbrycht-Palmer

Bali announces crack down on “insolent” tourists

Authorities on the Indonesian resort island of Bali will issue new rules on visiting religious sites, a Hindu leader said on Wednesday, after disrespectful behaviour by foreign tourists sparked anger among adherents. The Balinese provincial government is preparing a decree to regulate temple visits in order to preserve the sanctity of the holy sites, according to I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana, chairperson of the Bali-based Indonesian Hindu Society. A working group comprising of government representatives and ... ► Read more

Friday 29 June 2018 by Mozart Olbrycht-Palmer

Denpasar airport closed as Bali’s Mount Agung erupts

Flights to and from Bali have been cancelled or delayed, following another eruption of the Indonesian island’s Mount Agung volcano. Clouds of volcanic ash have spewed more than two kilometres into the air. Ngurah Rai International Airport, near Bali’s chief city of Denpasar, was closed at 3:00 am (local time), and is not due to open until at least 7:00 pm. Meteorologists and pilots continue assessing the weather conditions. Virgin Australia and AirAsia have cancelled ... ► Read more

The Week in Brief: 14-20 January 2018

US Government shuts down The US federal Government shut down at 12:01am on Saturday after the US Senate did not pass a spending measure to continue federal government funding before the midnight deadline. The Senate voted 50-49 in favour of the measure (which passed the House of Representatives on Thursday and would have kept the government open to 16 February) but did not reach the 60 yes votes it needed to pass. The shutdown came after ... ► Read more